Athletic shoulder pad system

ABSTRACT

A protective pad system having an exoskeletal shell assembly and an impact absorbing cushioning pad assembly releasably and mechanically attached to the inner surface of the exoskeletal shell assembly. The cushioning pad assembly includes a plurality of independent sub pad assemblies constructed of moisture and heat tolerant materials and adhesives to allow frequent laundering.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to protective sports equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to shoulder pads for the sports of football, lacrosse and hockey.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Improvements are desired in the construction of football, lacrosse and hockey shoulder pads. In particular, improvements are desired in the dissipation of body heat and moisture of the wearer as well as the sanitary cleaning aspects of the pad component of football, lacrosse and hockey shoulder pad systems.

The soft pad component of the conventional shoulder pad system is the element of the football, lacrosse and hockey shoulder pad system that is immediately in contact with the wearer's body. The typical football, lacrosse or hockey shoulder pad system is comprised of a hard exoskeletal component and a soft pad component. The “soft pad component” is defined herein as the compressible padding that provides cushioning. The soft pad component is distinguishable from the rigid elements of the exoskeletal component. The soft pad component in the typical shoulder pad system is mechanically attached to the exoskeleton component so as to be positioned between the wearer's torso and upper body and the exoskeleton component of the shoulder pad system. The construction of conventional shoulder pad systems undesirably traps moisture and body heat between the soft pad component and the wearer's body. Additionally, the soft pad component of the conventional shoulder pad system cannot be laundered in a conventional fashion, thus leading to unsanitary conditions of the soft pad component.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved shoulder pad system that enables improved heat and moisture transfer away from the wearer's body. Shoulder pads according to the invention would also enable frequent and conventional laundering of the soft pad component.

With regard to the foregoing, the present invention is directed to a soft pad component for a shoulder pad. In the preferred embodiment, the soft pad component is bilaterally symmetrical comprising left and right soft pad components that are positioned between the wearer's upper body and torso and the exoskeletal component of the shoulder pad system.

In another aspect, the invention relates to bilaterally symmetrical soft pad components comprised of releasably and mechanically attached multiple sub assembly segments. Each bilaterally symmetrical soft pad component comprising a front/chest segment, back segment and top/shoulder segment that is positioned between the front/chest segment and the back segment.

Another feature of the present invention is that the each sub assembly of the bilaterally symmetrical soft pad component is releasably and mechanically attached to the exoskeletal component of the shoulder pad system.

Another feature of the present invention is that the soft pad component of the shoulder pad system is constructed of a compressible, perforated, closed cell foam layer laminated between a moisture wicking, breathable fabric layer on the surface in immediate contact with the wearer's upper body and torso, and a breathable fabric on the surface in immediate contact with the exoskeletal component of the shoulder pad system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of an illustrated embodiment of a shoulder pad system in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof.

FIG. 2A is a frontal perspective view of the bilaterally symmetrical soft pad component of the shoulder pad system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the bilaterally symmetrical soft pad component of the shoulder pad system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the soft pad assembly of the bilaterally symmetrical soft pad component of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIG. 4A is an interior perspective view of the wearer's left side lateral assembly of the soft pad assembly of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4B is an exterior perspective view of the wearer's left side lateral assembly of the soft pad assembly of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view of typical construction of a segment of the soft pad component of FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, 4A and 4B.

FIG. 5B is a perspective cross view of typical construction of a segment of the soft pad component of FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, 4A and 4B.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view an exoskeletal assembly of the shoulder pad system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With initial reference to FIG. 1, the invention relates to a shoulder pad system including an exoskeleton assembly 10 and soft pad component comprising a pair of a pair of assemblies 20 and 30.

Soft Pad Component

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, the soft pad component is comprised of bilaterally symmetrical sub assemblies 20,30 that are positioned between the wearer's upper body and torso and the exoskeleton assembly 10.

Soft pad component sub assemblies 20 and 30 are releasably and mechanically attached to exoskeleton assembly 10 by means of fasteners 153, 154, 155, 162, 164 and 165 that are preferably constructed of a hook and loop fastening system.

Referring to FIG. 3, the soft pad component is composed of bilaterally symmetric subassemblies 20 and 30 that are further comprised of independent subassemblies 121, 122, 123, 131, 132 and 133.

Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, and 6, the sub assemblies 132 and 122 are attached to the exoskeleton assembly 10. The attachment is preferably accomplished by aligning the sub assemblies 132 and 122 immediately under the sub arch components 36 and 46 respectively and looping the fasteners 154 and 164 around the sub arches 36 and 46.

Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, and 6, the sub assemblies 131, 133 121 and 123 are attached to the exoskeleton assembly 10. The attachment is preferably accomplished by aligning the fasteners 153, 155, 163 and 165 with the apertures 214, 216, 224 and 226 respectively on arch members 130 and 140, and looping said fasteners through said apertures.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the subassemblies 121, 123, 131 and 133 have a plurality of panels 175 that are constructed of the hook portion of a hook and loop fastening system.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the surfaces 185 of subassemblies 122 and 132 that come in immediate contact with the panels 175 of subassemblies 121, 123, 131 and 133 are constructed of the loop portion of a hook and loop fastening system.

Referring to FIG. 5, the sub pad assembly 131 will be described, but the description applies equally to the other sub pad assemblies 132, 133, 121, 122 and 123. The sub pad assembly 131 is made of a one-piece perforated and thermal formed closed-cell foam padding material such as PE or EVA, 233, that is sandwiched between sheets of breathable, moisture-wicking fabric 231 and 235. In the preferred embodiment, the fabric components 231 and 235 are affixed to the foam padding element 233 by means of a moisture and heat tolerant adhesive.

Referring to FIG. 5, preferably the protective foam segment 233 is made of perforated closed cell foam.

Exoskeleton Assembly

With respect to FIGS. 1 and 6, the exoskeleton assembly 10 preferably includes a pair of main arches 130 and 140, a pair of epaulette assemblies 70 and 80, a pair of shoulder cap assemblies 50 and 60, a pair of sub arches 38 and 48, a plurality of arch member connectors 222, a flexible cord 126, a fastener 128, a plurality of straps 100, and a plurality of slots 110 to accept the straps 100 for the purposes of attaching the exoskeleton system 10 to the wearer.

Each arch member 130 and 140 is generally U-shaped in configuration and preferably of one-piece molded plastic construction. The arch member 130 is preferably constructed to include a chest portion 32 and a back portion 34 and a connecting portion 36. Similarly, the arch member 140 is shown as having a chest portion 42, a back portion 44, and a connecting portion 46.

Each epaulette assembly 70 and 80 is preferably comprised of a one-piece molded hard plastic element that is generally convex in shape. Each such assembly has a fabric covered foam interior liner and a flexible connector 78 and 80 for attaching the epaulette assembly to the respective arch member 130 and 140.

Each shoulder cap assembly 50 and 60 is preferably comprised of a one-piece molded hard plastic element that is generally convex in shape. Each such assembly has a fabric covered foam interior liner and a flexible connector 76 and 86 for attaching the epaulette assembly to the respective arch member 130 and 140.

The sub arches 38 and 48 are preferably of one-piece molded plastic construction generally curved in shape. The sub arch is preferably connected to the same-side arch member 130 and 140 so as to be positioned under the connecting member 36 and 46 and between the arch member chest and back portions 32 and 34 or 42 and 44. The sub arch is preferably attached to the arch member by mechanical means, such as rivets or screws and nuts at points near the tops of the arch member front portion 32 and arch member back portion 34. The chest portion and the back portion are configured to have raised areas of varying shapes and sizes within their perimeters to provide added structural strength.

Each epaulette assembly 70 and 80 and each shoulder cap assembly 50 and 60 is preferably attached to the connecting portion 36 and 46 of the corresponding main arch at a point approximately above the wearer's shoulder by using mechanical connectors such as rivets or screws and nuts. The preferred assembly is accomplished by aligning the apertures in the connecting portion 36 or 46, the shoulder cap assembly flexible connector 76 or 80, and the epaulette assembly flexible connector 78 or 88 with the shoulder cap assembly flexible connector positioned between the connecting portion 36 and the epaulette assembly flexible connector.

Arch members 130 and 140 are preferably connected by placing the two arch members in adjacent relationship at a desired distance apart, with the back portion 34 substantially parallel to the back portion 44. A plurality of the connectors 222 are used to span between and connect the back portions 34 and 44 by means of a mechanical fastener such as a rivet or a screw and nut.

Arch members 130 and 140 are preferably connected at the front by placing the arch members 130 and 140 adjacent to one another, with the chest portion 32 substantially parallel to the chest portion 42. Flexible cord 126 is threaded through apertures in chest portions 32 and 42 and fastener 128 is used to maintain the wearer's desired tension in flexible cord. The preferred fastener 128 is constructed of molded hard plastic and enables the wearer to quickly and frequently lock or unlock its hold on flexible cord 126. 

1. A protective shoulder pad system comprising: an exoskeletal shoulder pad system that includes a duality of main arches and a duality of epaulet assemblies; and a bilaterally symmetrical soft pad system that includes a plurality of independent soft pad assemblies releasably and mechanically attached to said main arches to provide localized compressible padding.
 2. The bilaterally symmetrical soft pad system of claim 1 wherein each said independent soft pad assembly is releasable and mechanically attached to its immediately adjacent independent soft pad assembly.
 3. The bilaterally symmetrical soft pad system of claim 1 wherein each independent soft pad assembly is releasable and mechanically attached to the said exoskeletal shoulder pad system.
 4. A protective soft pad system for use in conjunction with an exoskeletal upper body pad system comprising a plurality of soft sub pad assemblies.
 5. The soft pad system of claim 4 wherein said independent soft pad sub assemblies are constructed of perforated air-permeable closed cell foam thereby enabling cooling of the torso of the wearer.
 6. The soft pad system of claim 4 wherein said independent soft pad assemblies are constructed of thermal-formed closed cell foam disposed between moisture wicking, air-permeable fabric on the surface of the independent soft pad assemblies that come in contact with the wearer and air-permeable fabric on the remaining surfaces.
 7. The soft pad system of claim 4 wherein the air-permeable fabric and the moisture wicking air-permeable fabric of said independent soft pad assemblies is bonded to the closed cell foam of said independent soft pad assemblies using a non water-soluble and heat tolerant adhesive to enable frequent laundering of said independent soft pad assemblies. 